Current mood:

punitive

Oh boy
Meet Crystal, also known as being_homeless. Here's some background on her, and here's how she started her journal.

These are some articles published about her.

This is her community, bh_friends.

Now meet homelessreality. She(?) says Crystal's a big old fraud and claims to have proof.

Of course, Crystal's friends are up in arms.

This kerfuffle has interesting parallels with some existing cases of Munchausen's by Internet, but it's not a proven case yet, and she could still have been telling the truth all along. I think Crystal's for real, for a variety of reasons, but won't feel betrayed or anything if I'm proven wrong.

As always, it'll be a treat to watch, whatever happens. Train wreck, anyone?

Edited to add:
Steve_S emailed the author of the Boston Globe articles. He got a response. (reposted further down in the thread with full headers, refreshingly.)

Also, a novel definition of the term 'gay bar'. Gay Men's Health Centre? Gay bar. Queer bookstore? Gay bar. Dolphin-friendly cleaning products store with a rainbow sticker in the window? Gay bar. University women's room? Gay bar. I had no idea I'd been to so many gay bars, and I don't even drink.

Edited again to add: Deleted.

(Post a new comment)

	Munchausen's by Internet deoridhe 2004-07-15 02:30 pm UTC (link)
	What a perfect phrase for that! <3 ~~Steals for use in future psychology papers that will win her worldwide fame and loads of money.~~ (Reply to this)(Thread)

	Re: Munchausen's by Internet vassilissa 2004-07-16 07:45 am UTC (link)
	Thanks, but I didn't make it up. You can google on it. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	judyhazeleyes 2004-07-15 03:03 pm UTC (link)
	She(?) says Crystal's a big old fraud and claims to have proof. What is it with the Crystals, anyway? (Reply to this)(Thread)

	llama_treats 2004-07-15 03:52 pm UTC (link)
	Well, her homelessness is pastede on yay, obviously. beats joke into ground (Reply to this)(Parent)

(Reply from suspended user)

janegraddell
2004-07-15 06:02 pm UTC (link)
This is a classic case of "if you had it, you'd flaunt it." in my opinion.

Yep. Me, I'm pretty darn skeptical of anyone who broadcasts their ever-increasing woes over the internet, but at the moment, homelessreality isn't doing such a great job supporting his claim. Plus, I have to wonder why the reporter was so willing to spill his guts his guts to him:

"Hi, total stranger! Yes, I perpetuated a fraud in my story! Sure, I suppressed information that exposed her as a liar! Please get me fired!"

Um, yeah.
(Reply to this)(Parent)

gal_montag
2004-07-16 12:45 am UTC (link)
The Diesel Cafe is a gay bar.. that's how we know she's gay..because she posts about going there.

Logic, please? Because we all know that going to a gay bar equals teh gay.

And glorifying homelessness? (Because that's really what it sounds like, this girl has worshippers because she's homeless) I'm inclined to believe that Crystal is the real deal, but the people backing her are all sort of flimsy in their defense.
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necronomist
2004-07-16 03:57 am UTC (link)
I've been to Diesel.

Somehow, I would think 'gay bar' would involve alcohol and stuff.

(For the non-Boston people playing at home, Diesel Cafe is a coffee house with something of a LGBT following. Howeve, I heard rumors that heterosexuals go there, too).
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gal_montag
2004-07-16 04:16 am UTC (link)
Gay coffee bar? *cough* Y'know, to split hairs.
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vassilissa
2004-07-16 07:19 am UTC (link)
*snort*

For what it's worth, BH has an icon that says "What part of DYKE don't you understand?" I think that probably settles the question of her sexuality. The question of what HR's POINT is about BH's sexuality will have to remain a mystery.

I'm inclined to believe that Crystal is the real deal, but the people backing her are all sort of flimsy in their defense.

Word.
(Reply to this)(Parent)

nevadafighter
2004-07-16 03:52 am UTC (link)
The Diesel Cafe is a gay bar.. that's how we know she's gay..because she posts about going there.

Bitch, please. I spent an entire night at The Parliament House in Florida and am still happily lusting after men, thank you.
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janegraddell
2004-07-17 12:15 am UTC (link)
Argh! Deleted! Anyone have a re-cap?
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(Anonymous)
2004-08-16 05:12 pm UTC (link)
I'm dying of curiousity now. Everything's been deleted...was there any clear evidence that Crystal is a fraud or has some sort of psychiatric disorder that's prompting her behavior?
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(Anonymous)
2005-01-03 11:48 am UTC (link)
See http://www.livejournal.com/users/homelesstruths/
(Reply to this)(Parent)